Empowering Hawaiians: New Boat Launches to Safeguard Seafood Security

3/23/2013

Kahului, Hawaii/Arlington, Va.– At a public open house event today, the
Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Conservation International (CI)
Hawaii Fish Trust, and Harold K.L. Castle Foundation gathered for the ceremonial
blessing of a boat gifted from CI to the State of Hawaii for the first Community
Fisheries Enforcement Unit in Hawaii. Set to launch by spring 2013 as a pilot
project, this North Maui unit, operating under DLNR’s Division of Conservation
and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), will cover a 13-mile stretch of coastline
fromHulu Island to Baldwin Beach Park, extending three miles seaward.

“Mahalo to CI Hawaii Fish Trust and the Harold K.L. Castle
Foundation for investing in our state and people of Hawaii to help us pilot this
innovative and exciting program, which will transform our capacity to steward
and manage our marine resources,” said Lt. Governor Shan Tsutsui. “Community
Fisheries Enforcement Units will eventually be permanent and essential
components of DLNR and DOCARE’s work across the state.

“On behalf of Governor Neil Abercrombie and myself – and on behalf
of the Maui community as someone raised here on the island – it is my pleasure
to accept the gift of this enforcement vessel from Conservation International.
We look forward to the benefits that a return to more abundant fisheries can
bring to our community, and especially to our local fishers. Innovative
public-private partnerships like this one between the state, Harold K.L.Castle
Foundation, Conservation International, and the community of North Maui are
critical components for achieving the goals of our New Day Plan.”

The Community Fisheries Enforcement Unit program addresses several
aspects of the Abercrombie Administration’s New Day Plan:

Rebuild confidence in government and how tax dollars are spent: Develop
stronger partnerships; make government lead by example;

Restore capabilities of and public confidence in the Department of Land and
Natural Resources; and

“This event has been an excellent way to engage the Maui fishing
community and broader Hawaii public with an opportunity to learn about the new
Community Fisheries Enforcement Unit model, how it will support the local
community, and about other ocean conservation and pono fishing activities
on Maui,” said William J. Aila, Jr., DLNR chairperson.

Traditional fishing and gathering practices are important components
of a thriving Hawaiian culture. More than 90 percent of people in Hawaii
consume seafood on a regular basis and average seafood consumption is 45 pounds
per person per year, or three times the average per capita seafood consumption
on the U.S. mainland. Currently, it is estimated that at least 74 percent of
nearshore fish stocks in Hawaii are depleted or in critical condition.

“CI’s Hawaii Fish Trust program is invested in restoring seafood
security in Hawaii, and returning to an abundant and healthy ocean that sustains
high yields of seafood for generations to come,” said Jason Philibotte, the
director of the Hawaii Fish Trust for CI. “We are pleased to gift this boat to
the people of Hawaii and the North Mauicommunity in particular, and are excited
for the upcoming launch this spring of the Community Fisheries Enforcement
Unit.”

“This initiative project focuses on the protection of our near shore
fisheries through community collaboration and the creation of enforcement models
that are more focused and efficient,” said Randy Awo, DOCARE Administrator.
“Three DOCARE officers, a Makai Watch coordinator, a program coordinator, and a
data manager will comprise this specialized unit. Additional units will
eventually be established statewide.”

“Harold K.L. Castle Foundation support for this initiative came
about because one of the greatest issues facing our oceans today is lack of
education for those who don’t know, and lack of enforcement for those who don’t
care,” said Eric Co, Harold K.L. Castle Foundation. “In the face of many
enormous needs in the state and not nearly enough funds to address them all, we
are left only to do the best with what little we have. DLNR is absolutely doing
their best, but with limited resources it isn’t enough.

“The Foundation is excited to join in funding this effort across an
unprecedented public-private partnership so that DLNR may strengthen its ability
to safeguard our precious ocean resources. We expect no compensation, only the
promise of healthier oceans and healthier communities in our future.”

About the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of
Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) - DOCARE effectively upholds
the laws that serve to protect, conserve and manage Hawaii’s unique and limited
natural, cultural and historic resources held in public trust for current and
future generations of visitors and the people of Hawaii nei.

DOCARE enforces Title 12, Chapters 6D, 6E, and 6K, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, and any rules adopted thereunder. The authority of enforcement
officers, who have full police powers delegated by the Board of Land and Natural
Resources, includes enforcing all laws relating to natural, cultural and
historic resources under the Department’s jurisdiction, which spans from the top
of the mountains to three miles out to sea. This jurisdiction encompasses
nearly 1.3 million acres of State lands, beaches, and coastal waters, as well as
750 miles of coastline (the fourth longest in the country). It includes state
parks, historic sites, forests and forest reserves, aquatic life and its
sanctuaries, public fishing areas, boating, ocean recreation, and coastal
programs, wildlife and its sanctuaries, game management areas, public hunting
areas, and natural area reserves. More information can be found at www.dlnr.hawaii.gov or on Facebook.

About Harold K.L. Castle Foundation - Founded in 1962, the
Harold K.L. Castle Foundation works to build resources for Hawaii's future by
investing in promising initiatives and organizations through grant making, using
our convening power, and introducing and spreading new ideas and approaches to
help solve some of Hawaii's most pressing problems. Specifically, our mission
is to: Close the achievement gap in public education so that all of Hawaii's
children, regardless of their socioeconomic background, have access to and
benefit from high-quality education; Restore Hawaii's nearshore marine life
populations so that future generations can benefit and learn from this rich
natural resource; Build on the strengths of Windward Oahu communities through
investments that support the region's rich cultural legacy, its youth and
families, and its natural resources; and, Invest in a limited number of other
unforeseen but compelling opportunities to make a big difference in Hawaii's
future. For more information, please visit www.castlefoundation.org or on Facebook or Twitter.

About Hawaii Fish Trust, a program of Conservation International
(CI) – Ho‘i i ke kai momona: return to an abundant ocean. The goal
of Conservation International’s (CI’s) Hawaii Fish Trust is to restore seafood
security in Hawaii. To accomplish this goal, CI is working to transform Hawaii’s
nearshore fisheries governance, from the State of Hawaii’s ability to enforce
regulations to the capacity of fishers and communities to participate in the
stewardship and management of their vital fisheries, to the development of a
viable Hawaiian fishpond aquaculture industry.

Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field
demonstration, CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for
nature, our global biodiversity, for the long term well-being of people. Founded
in 1987 and marking its 25th anniversary in 2012, CI has headquarters in the
Washington DC area, and 900 employees working in nearly 30 countries on four
continents, plus 1,000+ partners around the world. For more information, For
more information, please visit at www.conservation.org/hawaiifishtrust, or on
Facebook orTwitter.